Abstract

Since its publication in 2005, the UNE 153020 standard has remained the only official document in Spanish that regulates audio description, the communication support system that allows visually impaired people to enjoy art. Over time, the inclusion of these groups in the field of culture has expanded in very stimulating directions; advances that are not recognized in the standard, as it has been unchanged for more than seventeen years. In 2022, and with the entry into force of the new General Law on Audiovisual Communication, the Spanish Government mandates that audio-written films comply with the quality standards of the UNE standard, so this document has gained a new weight that affects the total of Spanish productions made with public subsidies. With the aim of offering a constructive review of this document, an analysis of its chapters dedicated to audio-description of audiovisual contents will be offered, as well as a comparison of the standard with other international guides and regulations related to the same subject.

Keywords: audiovisual translation | accessibility | visual impairment | inclusion | film | cultural rights | cinema